Fourteen Jewels

Published on 11th January, 2020, in the Economic Times The churning of the ocean of milk is a key theme found in temples across ancient Southeast Asia indicating the spread of Hindu ideas there between the 3rd and 13th century. This story is linked to kingship and enterprise as it shows how Vishnu gets the eternally quarrelling devas and asuras to collaborate and churn out of the ocean all the treasures that make life worth living. Traditionally, we are told that fourteen magnificent jewels emerged from the sea. The list varies in the various puranas, but what is important is this: this tale was narrated ..